Curtis Courts Viewers

Curtis Court promises to be a somewhat kinder, gentler court show. But TV judge James Curtis warns that he's no pushover on the bench.

"Compared to what's out there, I might very well be seen as touchy-feely," says the former California prosecutor and latest addition to the crowded court-TV landscape. "My approach is talking to people. No matter what side of the issue these folks are on, I really want to hear what they have to say. My grandmother always said, 'You get more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.' "

Curtis Court will also look to distinguish itself from the myriad of court shows — Judge Judy, People's Court, Judge Mills Lane, Divorce Court, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Mathis — by featuring expert witnesses, single-trial episodes, and on-location examinations of evidence. "I'll be getting off the bench," says the 43-year-old Curtis. "I won't be just a static personality sitting on the bench and shouting at people.

"I don't have a problem that they're out there," he adds of the competition. "That's their approach and it's well-founded. In courts where attorneys appear, there are very tough rules. But my approach is different in that I try to incorporate the idea that these folks aren't attorneys. These are everyday people who probably have never really been in a significant court controversy in their lives. I'm not going to hold them to the same type of strict rules and regulations that I would hold an attorney to."

Curtis, who lives in Henderson, NV, with his wife and three kids, has already shot more than 100 cases at a New York studio in preparation for the show's Sept. 11 launch (check local listings). Cases thus far have ranged from feuding families to exploding cars.

"You're not going to see people throwing chairs and fighting and doing all other kinds of ridiculous stuff," he says. "When people get too out of control, I do not hesitate to eject them from the courtroom."